Train detecting and reporting apparatus



.J u I INV NTOR Georg .Bauy/zman BY H16 AITTQRNEY 1944- G. w. BAUGHMAN TRAIN DETECTING AND REPORTING APPARATUS Patented Feb. 22, 1944 TRAIN DETECTING AND REPORTING APPARATUS George W. Baughman, Swissvale, Pa., assignor to The Ul'llOIl Switch & Signal Company, Swissvale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania.

Application June 5, 1941, Serial No. 396,745

13 Claims.

My invention relates to train detecting and reporting apparatus, and it has particular reference to the organization of such apparatus into novel and improved means for detecting and reporting the passage of an entire or intact train. More particularly, my invention relates to the provision of train detecting and reporting apparatus of the type adapted for use in connection with remote control or centralized traffic control systems applied to manual block or other nontrack-circuited stretches of track for OSing trains at the remote office or central station.

In manual block territories where continuous track circuits are not employed, the signalmen at the various block stations are required to observe all passing trains and note whether or not they are complete and in order, and the marker signals required by the rules are properly displayed. Should a train without markers pass a block station, the Signalman at such station is required to notify the signalman at the next block station in each direction and must not report that a train is clear of the block nor unlock the next block in the rear unless he has ascertained that the train is complete by observing the train markers.

At an unattended block station where signals are manually controlled from a central ofiice by means of a communication or remote control system, suitable train detecting apparatus, usually of the type involving a detector track circuit, may be employed as a tripping means to set the associated signals at stop and also to cause an indication to be transmitted over the communication system to the office to indicate the presence of a train, as is well known. When a train passes the train detecting apparatus, for example, the remote control system may be conditioned to OS the train, that is, to transmit an indication reporting its movement past the block station to the control office. The usual train detecting apparatus, however, is not effective to detect whether or not the train is intact, hence such as OS indication might be transmitted to the oflice when only a portion of a train passes the detector apparatus. An operator relying upon the OS indication received from a block station location and assuming that a complete train has passed that point, might therefore signal other traffic through the block, whereas in fact a portion of the first train may be in the block and thus constitute a hazard to the other trafiic. 1

In view of the above-mentioned and other im portant considerations, it is an object of my invention to provide novel and improved means for detecting and reporting the passage of an entire or complete train.

A further object is to provide novel and improved means adapted for use with centralized traffic control systems, for reporting or OSing trains at a central office when and only when the block signal locations are passed by complete trains.

An additional object is the provision of wayside apparatus cooperating with apparatus carried on the rear of a train for indicating that the train is complete and intact when it passes a given point on the stretch of track, which is an improvement upon that disclosed in a copending application, Serial No. 396,731, filed June 5, 1941, by Herbert A. Wallace, for Train detecting and reporting apparatus.

Theabove-mentioned and other important objects and characteristic features of my invention which will become readily apparent from the following description, are attained in accordance with my invention by utilizing train detecting apparatus, such as a track circuit, in cooperation with means in the trackway adapted to be influenced by a device attachable to the rear of a train, to govern suitable apparatus responsive to the passage of a train and to the influence on the trackway means of the train-carried device, and by utilizing such apparatus to condition the centralized trafiic control system to transmit suitable indications to the control ofiice.

I shall describe two forms of apparatus embodying my invention, and shall then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating one form of apparatus embodying my invention arranged to function as train detecting apparatus. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a modified form also embodying my invention of the apparatus represented in Fig. 1 arranged to function as both train detecting and train reporting apparatus.

In each of the views, similar reference characters have been employed to designate COITB! sponding parts.

Referring to Fig. 1, the reference characters 1 and la designate the track rails of a stretch of track such as a manual block, which usually is not provided with continuous track circuits. Positioned at spaced points along the track are signals similar to those designated by the reference characters lL and IR for governing traffic movements in opposite d re ti ns through the stretch. These signals may be of any suitable type and as shown are three-indication signals comprising a plurality of signal lamps R, Y and G, which lamps when illuminated indicate stop, permissive and clear, respectively. Signal IR governs trafiic movements from left to right as viewed in the drawing, while signal IL governs trai'fic movements from right to left.

The signals IL and I R are adapted to be controlled in any suitable manner, and as shown, are governed by remotely controlled polar stick relays LES, RI-IS and DS. These relays may be manually controlled from a central office in a Well-known manner by means of any suitable communication or centralized traffic control systern, such for example as that shown in the Lewis Patent No. 2,197,130, granted April 16, 1940, for Remote controlling apparatus. For the purpose of the present description it is deemed suflicient to state that when relays LHS, RHS and DS occupy their respectivenormal. or lefthand positions, as shown in the drawing, each signal IL and IR displays its most restrictive or stop indication, respectively, that signal IL or IRv is, conditioned to. display an indication less restrictive than stop according, as relay Ll-IS or RHS, respectively, is operated to its reverse. or right-hand position, and that the selection between the permissive and the clear indications of the two signals is determined according as relay DS is in its normal or its reverse position, respectively.

A short stretch of track adjacent the location, of the signals IL. and IR is provided with suitable, train detecting apparatus which may, for example, comprise a track circuit. provided for a tripping track section a.b formed by dividing the track rails by means of the usual insulateclf joints 2. Section ab may be of any convenient length preferably longer than the distance between the trucks of any vehicle traveling thereover, and may for example have a length of the. order of 60 feet.

Section ab is provided with a track circuit comprising a suitable source of current, such as a battery not shown but having its opposite terminals designated in the drawing by the reference characters 13 and C, and a track relay TS. Terminal C is permanently connected to one of the track rails, while terminal B is normally connected to the other track rail over a front contact of the track relay. In the particular arrangement illustrated in Fig. 1, relay TS is permanently connected across the rails I and Id and terminal B of the source is at times connected through a front contact 1' of relay TS tothe track rails. Relay TS is therefore normally energized when section ab is unoccupied, over a track circuit arranged on the stick circuit principle.

The train detectingcr track circuit apparatus hereinbefore mentioned is supplemented by addi tional apparatus involving a wayside detector or receiver which cooperates with a train-carried transmitting device positioned preferably on the rear of the last vehicle of a train, to govern suit-- able control means arranged to be operated from a normal'to an operated position only in response to the passage over the way .do receiver of a vehicle carrying the train-carried transmitting device. These cooperating wayside and traincarried-means may be of any suitable type wherein the train-carrled means is a source of control influences the wayside means is a receiver responsive to and afiected by such control influences. For example, the train-carried device may be a magnet, either a permanent magnet or an electromagnet, carried on a vehicle and disposed for inductive relationship with a wayside receiver located on the ties or in the roadbed.

In accordance with my present invention, it is contemplated to include the train-carried transmitting device as one of the train-carried marker signals required under the rules to be placed on the rear of the-last vehicle of a train. Each train in order to be considered complete when operating over the particular stretch under considerav tion is, therefore, required to carry, in addition to the usual markers, a readily portable and attachable magnet so positioned at the rear of the train that it will come into inductive relation with the wayside receiver when the rear of the train passes a block. station. In Fig. l, a vehicle V illustrated. in dotted lines. is represented as carrying a. magnet M of the permanent magnet type.

The wayside apparatus which cooperates with the train-carried magnet referred to preferably comprises a receiver or inductor 8 having a winding disposed on a magnetizable core It. The core and winding are preferably completely enclosed in a non-magneticv casing for mechanical protection and the entire device is secured to the track ties with. the. core of the receiver parallel to the rails and disposed within the limits of the associated tripping section a-b, either between the rails or alongside either rail in a position for inductive relationship With the train-carried magnetic device. The windingof inductor 8 is connected to a control, device, which may, for example, be. a two-winding restoring relay SI having one winding connected through uitable amplifying means AM indicated conventionally in the drawing but preferably including a rectifier, to-the winding of inductor 8, and having its other winding at timesv energized over a stick circuit including back contact I I of relay TS and its own front contact I2. The restoring relay SI is normally released, and is picked up in response to the electromotive force momentarily induced in thev inductor winding and applied to relay Si when a. vehicle-carried magnet M passes over inductor 8; This of course happens only when a train occupies section ab, hence at such times relay TS is shunted and released so that after relay SI. is picked up due to the electrcrnotive force induced in the Winding of inductor B by the passage of the train-carried magnet, relay SI is held energized over its stick circuit until relay TS, again picks up.

As is obvious from the drawing, the lighting circuits for signals IL and, IR are so arranged that. the signals are manually controllable only when relay TS is picked, up, but when relay TS is released, circuits areclosed to light the lamps R of. both signals regardless of. the positions of relays LHS', RI-IS and DS; so that the signals are put. to stop automatically by the passage of a train. The apparatus is further arranged so that after relay 'I'Shas released and relay St has picked up, terminal B of the source remains disconnected fromthe rails until the signal control relays have been restored to normal to correspond with the stop indication displayed by the signals. With relay TS released and relay SI held energized over its stick circuit, when relays LHS and RHS are manually restored to normal a pick-up circuit is closed for relay TS extending from terminal B over the normal or left-hand contact M of relay RHS, normal contact I of relay LHS, front contact l6 of relay SI, back contact 1 of relay TR, rai1 l, the winding of relay TS to rail I a, and thence to the other terminal C of the source. The train in the section of course shunts energy away from relay TS, but when the train vacates section a-b, relay TS picks up over the circuit just traced, and closes its front contact 1 to complete the previously traced track circuit. Relay TS is arranged so that it is capable of picking up reliably over its back contacts, as described, by the provision of a suitable resistor 4 connected across its terminals. Resistor 4 provides a discharge path for the relay current, causing the relay to maintain its armature in the attracted condition for a time interval after its pick-up circuit is broken, suificient to bridge the interval between the opening of its pick-up circuit and the closing of its stick circuit which occurs when the relay is pick ing up. Relay TS may be, for example, of the same type as the relay H of the Nicholson Patent No. 2,160,894, issued June 6, 1939.

Relay SI releases when relay TS opens its back contact II, and it follows, therefore, that with both relays RHS and LHS in the normal position wherein signals IL and IR are manually conditioned to display their stop indications, the train detecting or track circuit apparatus represented in Fig. 1 is restored to its normal condition after the section becomes vacated provided that the section is traversed by a complete train as evidenced by the presence at the rear end thereof of the magnetic device which cooperates with the trackway inductor to cause operation of stick relay SI.

If, however, either signal control relay LHS or RHS is retained in its reverse position, the above traced pick-up circuit over which the track circuit apparatus is restored to its normal condition cannot be completed, and relay TS remains released and relay SI remains picked up, after the train vacates the section, as is readily apparent, and neither signal can be cleared for further train movements unless the operator first restores the signal control relays to their normay position and in addition, the passage of a complete train has been registered by th operation of relay SI. In the event that a train parts or breaks in two and only the forward portion traverses the tripping section, it will be evident that the apparatus functions to detect the passage of an incomplete train by preventing the restoration of the track circuit apparatus to its normal condition even though the portion of the train vacates the section. This feature of the track circuit apparatus whereby its restoration is prevented except when a complete train traverses a section renders the apparatus of my invention particularly effective for use in central ized trafllc control systems to OS trains.

An application of the apparatus represen ed in Fig. 1 to the OSing or reporting of trains is represented in Fig. 2. The apparatus employed in Fig. 2 is, in general. similar to the apparatus represented. in Fig. 1. That is to say, section ab is provided with track circuit'apparatus arranged on the stick circuit pr nciple to incorporate a front contact of relay TS in. the normal track circuit, relay TS having a pick-up circuit which is completed when and only when the signal control relays are controlled to condition the associated signals to display their respective most restrictive indications and a restoring relay S is caused to operate in response to the train-carried magnet passing over the wayside inductor 8.

In Fig. 2, however, relay S controlled by the wayside receiver is preferably of the biased polar type, as indicated diagrammatically in the drawing. This type of relay is extremely sensitive and has an armature biased to its right-hand position and operated therefrom only in response to current having a given relative polarity.

The relays S and. TS in Fig. 2 also hav contacts 33 and 34 which may be included in circuits for indicating the condition of these relays at the office from which the signals are controlled. These indication circuits may be of any suitable type, for example, they may include separate line wires extending to the ofiice, or they may consist of distinctive frequency channels like those controlled by the track relays of th Zabel patent, No. 917,830, for governing the oflice indication apparatus continuously, or they may be local circuits for governing the character of elements of impulse codes transmitted by apparatus at the station, as in the Lewis patent hereinbefore referred to. In the latter case, suitable means for initiating the codes is also required, such as is illustrated by my relay ST.

It is to be understood that in Fig. 2, the relay ST is the starting relay of a remote control systern, corresponding to relay I H of this Lewis patent, and that my relay ST may function in such a system to initiate the transmission of indication codes for indicating the condition of station devices such as the relays S and TS, by closing its left-hand contact 3!. It is to be understood that as in the case of relay IH of the Lewis patent, the contact of relay ST normally occupies the right-hand position. as shown, and that it is restored to that position in response to the transmission of each indication code initiated as a result of a movement of contact 3| to the left.

Referring now to Fig. 2, section a-b is provided with a normally closed track circuit comprising a stick circuit for relay TS that extends from terminal B at front contact I! of relay TS over normal polar contacts 23 and ll! of relay LHS, normal polar contact 29 of relay RI-IS, front contact 25 of relay TS, right-hand polar contact 22 of relay S, track rail the winding of relay TS and track rail la to the other terminal C of the source. This circuit is, of course, completed only when the signal control relays are in their respective normal positions to condition the associated signals to display their most restrictive or stop indications. When relay TS is picked up, the operator at the control oflice may position the control relays LHS, HHS and DS as required to cause signal lllr or BR- to indicate permissive or clear, in order to permit the movement of a train in either direction through section a-b, or may restore the signals manually to stop, without releasing relay TS. Whenever either signal is conditioned to display an indication less restrictive than stop, alternate circuit paths are completed and function to maintain the track relay TS normally energized over its own front contact. For example, when relay LHS is operated to its reverse position to condition signal !L to indicate permissive or clear, polar contacts 23 iii of relay LHS are operated to their reverse positions and these contacts in their reverse positions, as well as in their normal positions as already described, complete the stick circuit for relayT-S'extending to terminal B at front contact I! of: relay TS. Similarly, if relay RHS is operated to its reverse positionto condition signal IR to indicate permissive or clear, relay TS is then energized over a stick circuit extending from terminal Bv at its front contact 24 over the reverse polar contacts 25 and 2 of relay HHS, front contact 2| of relay TR, normal polar contact 22 of relay S, track rail l, the winding of relay TS and track rail Ia' to the other terminal C of the source. Relay TS has a slow release characteristic as already described in connection with Fig. 1, and consequently is not released by the operation of the quick acting relays LHS'andRHS.

When relay TS is picked up, a portion 2% of a center tapped primary winding. of a transformer 21 is supplied with energy over an obvious circult including front contact 28 of relay TS. Secondary winding 25 of transformer 2'! is connected through a full-wave rectifier iii to one winding of relay with therectifier poled in such manner that current delivered thereby has a polarity such as to cause relay ST to operate its contact 3| to the left. Whenever, therefore, relay TS is caused to release, as by a train entering the section aband shunting the track circuit, front contact 28 of relay TS. opens to deenergize Winding 26 of transformer 2'5, and the flux in the transformer accordingly decays quickly and induces in secondary winding 29 an electromotive force which is applied through rectifier 30 to cause operation of relay ST. Relay ST may therefore be utilized in a well-known manner to initiate the operation of the communication system to cause an indication controlled in accordance with the position of contact 34 of relay TS, for example, to be transmitted over the communication system, to the ofice to light a suitable indication lamp TE at the ofiice to indicate that a train has entered the section a-b.

When track relay TS is released and stick relay S is in its deenergized position, as shown, terminal B of the source of track circuit current is disconnected from section a-b as long as relay LHS or HHS remains reversed. The track circuit apparatus is arranged to be restored to its normal condition only if the signal control relays are manually positioned soas to cause the associated signals to continue to display their most restrictive indications after relay TS picks up, and inaddition, relay S has been caused to close its left-hancl contacts, in response to a movement of a train-carried magnet M over the associated receiver 3. When relay TS released due to a train in the section, relay S is energized when the magnet M on the rear vehicle passes inductor 8 and causes an electromotive force to be induced in the inductor. This electromotive force is applied to relay S causes it to operate its contacts to the left, where contact 32 completes a stick circuit extending from terminal 3 through back contact 28 of relay TS, the winding and the left-hand contact 32 of relay S, and a portion 35 of the primary winding of transformer 2'! to the other terminal C ofthe source.

It is to be understood that magnet M induces a current impulse in one direction in relay S as it approaches inductor 3', and induces an impulse in the opposite direction as it recedes from inductor 8. It follows that regardless of the relative polarity of magnet M and the inductor winding, or of the direction of train movement, on impulse or the other will be in the proper direction to cause contact 32 to close. Furthermore, relay S is energized to a much higher degree by the local battery current than by the impulses, and it follows that the stick circuit when closed holds relay S in its operated position, regardless of the further movement of ma net M. The building up of flux in winding 35 when the stick circuit for relay S becomes closed is efiective to cause an electromotive force to be induced in secondary winding 29, whereupon the starting relay ST is again caused to close its contact 3! to initiate the operation of the communication system, and the resulting indications transmitted to the oflice may include one controlled in accordance with the position of contact 33 of relay S to indicate the operation of that relay by the magnet M of a passing train, by the lighting of a suitable indication lamp SE at the central ofiice of the C. T. C. system.

If the operator at the ofiice, having thus ascertained that the train in section a-b has passed that section complete and intact, restores all signal control relays to their respective normal positions to hold the associated signals at stop, energy is applied to the rails of section ab over a pick-up circuit for relay TS which extends from terminal B at back contact I! of relay TS, normal contact IQ of relay LHS, nor mal contact 20 of relay RHS, back contact 2| of relay TS, left-hand contact 22 of relay S, rail I, relay TS, and thence over rail la to terminal 0. Relay TS is arranged to pick up over its own back contact as described in connection with Fig. l, and when the train has vacated section ab and removed the train shunt, relay TS picks up and opens at back contact 28 the stick circuit of relay S, which relay releases quickly and closes its right-hand contact 22 to prepare the previously traced normally closed track circult, this circuit being completed by the closing of front contacts I! and 2| of relay TS. The operation of contact 28 of relay TS causes winding 35 of transformer 21 to be deenergized and winding 25 to become energized, to thereby cause an electromotive force to be induced in Winding 29 and applied to relay ST to cause that relay to operate, to again initiate the operation of the communication system. The resulting indications transmitted to the ofiice may include one controlled by the closed contact 34 of relay TS, indicating that section ab has been vacated and the track circuit has been restored to normal, and may also include one controlled by the closed contact 33 of relay S to cancel the train report, or OS signal last transmitted.

In the event an incomplete train traverses the tripping section, the operator will'be unable to restore the, track circuit apparatus by restoring the signal control relays to normal, and signals IL and IR will remain non-responsive to the operation of the centralized control system, until they are restored locally. The signals may be.

placed again under the control of the central ofiice operator either by the operation of an emergency key K, or by the movement, under a special order, of a vehicle carrying a magnet M through the section zt-b with the signals at stop.

It is readily apparent from the foregoing that I have provided means to detect the presence of a train or vehicle at a. location on a track, and have provided other means which cooperates with the train detecting means to respond only to the passage of a complete and intact train as indicated by the operation of a Wayside receiver in responseto the passage of a transmitter carried on the rear of a train as an element of the train signaling devices required under the rules of operation to be provided on the rear of the last vehicle of a train. This apparatus when employed to control the OSing of trains at a remote unattended location is therefore operative to automatically indicate that an intact or complete train has passed the location, and therefore may be utilized to report trains over communication systems in much the same manner that a train is reported from manual block locations when a local operator observes the train markers and then reports the train by telephone or telegraph to an operator at the train dispatchers ofiice.

Although I have herein shown and described only two forms of train detecting and reporting apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination with a stretch of railway track including an insulated section, a track relay and a source of energy connected to the rails of said section in a normally energized trainshuntable track circuit including a front contact of said track relay, a train to travel said stretch, a magnet carried on the last vehicle of said train, an inductor disposed in the trackway of said section for inductive relation with said magnet, a stick relay, a circuit adapted to be energized to pick up said stick relay in response to passage of said train-carried magnet over said inductor, a stick circuit for said stick relay including its own front contact and a back contact of said track relay, and a circuit controlled by said stick relay when picked up for picking up said track relay to establish said track circuit.

2. In combination with a stretch of railway track including an insulated section, a track relay and a source of energy connected to the rails of said section in a normally energized trainshuntable track circuit including a front contact of said track relay, a train to travel said stretch,

a magnet carried on the last vehicle of said train, 1

an inductor disposed in the trackway of said section for inductive relation with said magnet, a stick relay, an operating circuit for energizing said stick relay in response to movement of said contact of said stick relay inits operated position and the rails or said section for connecting said track relay to said source for restoring said track circuit to its normally energized condition.

3. In combination with a stretch of railway track having an insulated section, a remotely controlled relay having a normal and an operated position, a signal for governing traffic on said stretch and caused to display a stop or a permissive aspect according as said remotely controlled relay is in its normal or operated position, respectively, a track relay and a source of energy connected in a normally energized track circuit including the rails of said section and a front contact of said track relay, a train to travel said stretch, and means in the trackway 'ofsaid section cooperating with means on said train for connecting said track relay to said source over the rails of said section effective only when said track relay is released and said remotely controlled relay is in its normal position.

4. In combination with a stretch of railway track having an insulated section, a remotely controlled relay having a normal and an operated position, a signal for governing traffic on said stretch and caused to display a stop or a permissive aspect according as said remotely controlled relay is in its normal or operated position, respectively, a track relay and a source of energy connected in a normally energized track circuit including the rails of said section and a front contact of said track relay, means effective when said track relay is releasedfor causing said signal to display stop irrespective of the position of said remotely controlled relay, a train to travel said stretch, and means in the trackway of said section cooperating with means on said train for connecting said trackrelay to said source over the rails of said section effective only when said track relay is released and said remotely controlled relay is in its normal position.

5. In combination with a stretch of railway track having an insulated section, a signal adjacent said section for governing traific over said stretch, a signal control relay at said signal and having a normal and an operated position for causing said signal to display stop and permissive aspects respectively, means for controlling said signal control relay from a remote office, a track relay and a source of energy connected to the rails of said section in, a normally energized track circuit including a front contact of said track relay, a train to travel said stretch, and means in the trackway of said section cooperating with means on said train for connecting said track relay to said source over the rails of said section when said track relay is released provided that said signal control relay isin its normal position. I

6. In combination with a stretch of railway track having an insulated section, a signal adjacent said section for governing traffic over said stretch, a signal control relay at said signal having a normal and an operated position for causing said signal to display stop and permissive aspects respectively, means for controlling said signal control relay from a remote omce, a track relay and a source of energy connected to the rails of said section in a normally energized track circuit including a front contact of said relay, means controlled by said track relay when released for causing said signal to display stop irrespective of the position of said signal control relay, a train to travel said stretch, and means in the trackway of said section cooperating with means on said train for connecting said track relay to said source over the rails of said section when, said track relayl is released providedthat said signal control relay isin its normal-position.

7. A system for indicating at an ofiice the condition of a track circuit at a remote station, comprising the combination with a stretch of railcircuit, a remote control system extending between saidoifice and station and having a starting relay" at said stat'ion; a; trainto travel said .stretch,,wayside means'in thetrackway of said section cooperating with means on said train for energizing said track relay when released railway track having an insulated section provided with a track circuit including a track relay connected over its own front contact in said circuit, a remote control system extending between said ofiice and station for indicating the condition of said track relay, a starting relay at said station effective when operated to initiate the operation of said system, a train to travel said stretch, wayside means in the trackway of said section cooperating with means on said train for energizing said track relay when released over another track circuit including the rails of said section, a transformer having primary and secondary windings, means for supplying the primary of said transformer wtih current of one relative polarity when said track relay is picked up and with current of the opposite relative pola-rity when said track relay is released and said wayside means responds to said train-carried "means, and means including the secondary of said transformer for energizing said starting relay to cause operation thereof in response to a change in the current supplied to said transformer.

9. In a remote control system, an office and a station, a stretch of railway track having an insulated section at said station, a track relay connected over its own front contact in a normally energized track circuit provided for said section, a signal at said station for governing traffic on said stretch, a signal control relay manually controllable from said office to a normal or an operated position for causing said signal to display a stop or a permissive aspect respectively, means controlled by said track relay when released for causing said signal to display stop irrespective of the position of said signal control relay, means including a contact of said signal control relay in its normal position for restoring said track relay to its normally energized position, a starting relay for initiating the transmission of information from said station to said office, and impulse means foroper ating said starting relay, comprising a transformer having a secondary winding connected to said starting relay, together with means eiiective when said track relay-is picked up for supplying unidirectional current to the primary winding of said transformer.

10. In a remote control system, an office and a station, a stretch of railway track having an in sulated section at said station, a track relay conated position for causing said signal to display 'a stop or a permissive aspect respectively, means controlled by said track relay when released for causing said signal to display stop irrespective of the position of said cntro1 relay,

a restoring relay, a train to travel said stretch, means in the trackw'ay of said section cooperating with means on said train for causing operation of said restoring relay from a normal to an operated position, means 'efiec'tive when said restoring relay is in its operated position and said signal control relay is in its normal position for restoring said track relay to its normally energized condition, a starting relay 'foriiniti'ating the transmission of information from said station to said ofii'ce, and impulse means for operating said starting relay, comprising a transformer having a secondary winding connected to said starting relay, together with means efiective when said track relay is picked up for supplying unidirectional current to the primary winding of said transformer.

11. In combination with a stretch of railway track including an insulated track section, :a normally energized track circuit including a source of current, the rails of said section, and the winding and a front contact of said track relay, an inductor located in the trackway adjacent said section, a portable rear end marker comprising a magnet adapted to be mounted on a train in a position to pass over said inductor to indicate when a train running in eitherdirection pastsaid track section is complete, a stick relay adapted to be inductively picked up in response to the movement of said magnet over said inductor, and a holding circuit for maintaining said stick relay picked up including a back contact of said track relay, and a circuit including a front contact of said stick relay for picking up said track relay when the train has passed out of said track section.

12. In combination, a stretch of railway track, an ofiice and a station, an inductor located in the trackway at said station, a portable rear end marker comprising a magnet adapted to be mounted on a train in a position to come into inductive relation with said inductor when the last car of said train passes said station, a stick relay, a circuit including said inductor and said stick relay adapted to be inductively energized when said marker comes into inductive relation with said inductor to pick up said stick relay, means for maintaining said stick relay picked up until manually released, means controlled by said stick relay for indicating at said oflice when a stretch of railway track including an insulated tracksection at said station, a normallyenergized track circuit including a source of current, the rails of said section, and the winding of said track relay, an inductor located in the trackway at said station, a portable rear end marker comprising a magnet adapted to be mounted on a train in a position to come into inductive relation with said inductor when the last car of said train passes said station, a stick relay, a circuit including said inductor and stick relay adapted to be inductively energized when said magnet comes into inductive relation with said inductor to pick up said stick relay, means controlled by said track relay for holding said stick relay picked up until manually released, transmitting means controlled by said track relay and bysaid stick relay for indicating at said office when a complete train passes said station, and means manually controllable from said office for releasing said stick relay.

, GEORGE W. 'BAUGHMAN. 

